Republicans

Calling BS on Politicians: Columnist Molly Ivins

Bill Thompson

This year’s long and divisive battle for the presidency is just about over.Tomorrow is Election Day And not a moment too soon.

And while certain elements of this campaign have been unique, even unprecedented, much of it has in fact been, for lack of a better term, business as usual.

Longtime Texas-based political columnist Molly Ivins made her living critiquing that business. And Molly was never reticent about pointing out the emperor’s lack of new clothes

She and I had several conversations over several years, including the one you’re about to hear, from 2004.

Get your copy of Molly Ivins’s book

Ivins had just published a collection of some of her columns, and the book came out in the midst of the 2004 presidential campaign.

When we spoke that summer, John Kerry had already secured the democratic presidential nomination to run against incumbent Republican George W Bush, but the Democratic convention was still about two weeks away.

But see if you don’t agree that so much of what she was talking about 20 years ago doesn’t sound just like she could have said it last week.

So here now, from 2004, Molly Ivins.

Molly Ivins died in 2007 at age 62.

The Lou Dobbs Vision For American Populism

Bill Thompson

What has happened to the idea that the American people are the ones in charge of their own country?

According to longtime cable news personality Lou Dobbs, American populism has been replaced by a network of elites in government and business.

Get your copy of Lou Dobbs’s book

Dobbs wrote about it in his 2007 book Independents Day. I met him that November, just about a year before the 2008 election – and Dobbs spared neither side his criticism.

So here now, from 2007, Lou Dobbs.

Lou Dobbs died this past July. He was 78.

Barry Goldwater

Bill Thompson

Last week Democrats nominated Joe Biden for president. This week, Republicans will renominate Donald Trump, for a second term.

Let’s go back 56 years, to July1964, when the GOP nominated Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater.

And, much like this year’s Democrats, many 1964 Republicans had serious doubts about Goldwater, who many saw as much too extreme. And Goldwater himself didn’t help much, with his acceptance speech.

Goldwater was trounced in the election that fall, by income LyndonBut Goldwater remained in the senate for many years, Helping shape the conservative policies of the GOP.

When I met him in 1988, the country was in the midst of the George H.W. Bush vs Michael Dukakis race. And as you’re about to hear, Goldwater had some very specific ideas about that contest.

So, here now, from 1988, Barry Goldwater.

Barry Goldwater died in 1998. He was 89.